Decolonial pedagogy and relational didactics: foundations, convergences, and insurgent practices in teacher education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5212/PraxEduc.v.21.26289.033Abstract
This article analyzes the relationship between decolonial pedagogy and relational didactics in the field of teacher education, arguing that both perspectives converge in the construction of critical, situated, and socially grounded didactic-pedagogical practices. It aims to understand how decoloniality can provide a foundation for a didactic approach committed to reshaping pedagogical relationships. This is a theoretical essay, in dialogue with empirical data from the studies conducted by Russell (2023, 2025) and Russell and Marcondes (2024), as well as by Mesquita’s (2020) research on teaching practices and the relational dimensions of teaching. The article is structured around five interconnected areas: the foundations of decolonial pedagogy; the principles of relational didactics; the Freirean foundations underpinning these perspectives; the convergences between decolonial pedagogy and relational didactics; and, finally, the implications of their articulation for teacher education. The findings indicate that decolonial pedagogy goes beyond thematic inclusion and requires epistemological, curricular, and didactic transformations, while relational didactics offers concrete conditions for its materialization in everyday school life, especially through the centrality of interactions, listening, and the recognition of subjects. It further demonstrates that bringing these perspectives together contributes to the development of more horizontal, critical, and context-sensitive teaching practices.
Keywords: Decolonial pedagogy. Relational didactics. Everyday school life. Paulo Freire. Teacher education.
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